When it is your turn to get married, there are many things to think about! There are traditions in different cultures, and different parts of the world. Today I am going to be sharing some Canadian wedding flower norms. Don't forget - these are just norms, on your big day, the decisions are always up to you!
When it comes to who gets flowers, there is a list of people you would want to provide flowers for, and what they should get for flowers! We will cover bride & groom (or brides/grooms), bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, grandparents, and more!
I always start with the bridal bouquet (for the bride, of course!), and work the rest of the flowers off of the bouquet so that everything ties together nicely. Usually this bouquet is about 10" - 12" in size around, and commonly a round bouquet (as seen in the photo on the left) or cascade style. There are many different styles of bridal bouquets available including, but not limited to those above (round & cascade), pageant, nosegay, and posy. It can include flowers only, greens only, or a mix of the two!
The groom would get a boutonniere that matches the most predominant flower in the bridal bouquet, or a flower of the happy couples choice! From the above bouquet, there is a very even mix of flowers in different colours in it. I would suggest to use a ranunculus, or a rose for the grooms boutonniere if you want to match this bouquet!
When it comes to the bridesmaids bouquets, they are usually very similar, or even the exact same as the brides bouquet, just on a smaller scale! The size of a bridesmaid bouquet would be 6" to 8" around, and is almost always a round bouquet, unless the bride has a different idea.
The groomsmens boutonnieres are very commonly done one of two ways. They either match exactly what the groom has, or they have a different flower than the groom, that is still in the bridesmaids bouquets. Sometimes those who want to differentiate the groom from the groomsmen a bit better, for those guests who have not met the groom, they would give the groom a boutonniere with a ribbon wrapped around it, while the groomsmen have plain tape wraps.
In this section I will be covering parents and grandparents! This can be done many different ways! (If you are looking for ideas, feel free to reach out!) Normally they would have the same flower that is chosen for the groomsmen, and give boutonnieres to the fathers, and have corsages for mothers and grandmothers. The corsages for the ladies can be done in a pin-on style which is typically used for women over 50, or they can be done in a wristlet, which is commonly done for younger women. These days I usually tell most couples I work with to ask their mothers which style they would prefer.
Don't forget your flower girls (or flower men, which is a largely increasing trend!) and ring bearers! Most of the time, flower girls get a basket with flower petals in it to throw. The flower men are doing the same idea, but using a fanny pack! Be careful if you want to have petals thrown - some venues don't allow for this as the petals can leave stains on floors or carpets. Flower girls are commonly given small bouquets. Bouquets of just babies breath and tulle are becoming very popular for an alternative options (shown in photo on right). Ring bearers get a small boutonniere, depending on how old they are, they can be made larger or smaller to suit your needs. Either we use a smaller version of a flower, or a filler flower such as babies breath and greenery to make something small to be pinned to their suit.
Other items for guests! I have seen couples give corsages and boutonnieres to siblings, aunts, uncles, officiants, and/or ushers. These are generally the same as the florals for the parents, except for the officiant who normally gets something different than everyone else.
Don't feel bound by anything I have outlined above, it is your big day and you are welcome to do what fits the two of you as a couple! You can half less than anything above, or more than anything above if it suits your vision. We are always happy to have consultations to go over ideas for wedding flowers, and what we are able to provide to you!
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